Have you ever ridden on a hovercraft? It is like gliding on a cushion of air! In this science project, you will make your own mini hovercraft using a CD or DVD and a balloon and investigate how the amount of air in the balloon affects how long the hovercraft hovers.
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Aero_p033

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Time Required

Very Short (≤ 1 day)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Very Low (under $20)

Safety

If using epoxy, adult assistance is required, use caution, and follow all of the instructions and safety warnings on the packaging.

Following a simple black line seems pretty easy, right? But think about it; how do you know what is the line and what is not the line? What if you wanted a robot to follow that line? How would it know what you wanted it to follow? Robots can use simple techniques to sense their surroundings and change their behavior based on what they see. In this engineering project, you will build your own robot that will follow a path without using complicated electronics or programming.
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Robotics_p021

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

You should be familiar with, or be willing to learn how to wire circuits on a breadboard. A little soldering is necessary to complete this science project, so you should also be familiar with the procedure or be able to find a helpful friend or adult.

Material Availability

Readily available. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.

Cost

Average ($40 - $80)

Safety

If you are using the coping saw to make the wheels, use caution and be sure to wear safety goggles. Some steps require soldering, which involves very high temperatures. Use caution when soldering and when using other building tools. An optional step involves a product that must used in an open area, following the manufacturer's directions.

Water is an interesting thing. We drink it, swim in it, and wash ourselves with it. We can get energy from
water by damming it and sending it through a turbine. But did you know that we can use the natural electrical
charges present in water and a Kelvin electrostatic generator to create sparks? You can even use a
Kelvin electrostatic generator to temporarily light a bulb! Now that is one bright idea!
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Elec_p069

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

You will need to visit your local hardware store to purchase plumbing items to build the Kelvin electrostatic generator. You will also need a hand saw, a drill, a heat gun, a digital scale, a fan, and a dehumidifier. See the Materials and Equipment list for details. Cost of the project may be lower depending on what tools you already have available.

Cost

High ($100 - $150)

Safety

Parts of the Kelvin electrostatic generator require use of a hand saw and a drill.
Wear safety goggles when using power tools. Adult supervision is required.

Do you want to trick friends and visitors with an amazing optical illusion? In this engineering design project you will learn how to build an infinity mirror,with built-in lights that make the mirror look like a deep tunnel with no end. But pick the mirror up and look behind it, and you will see that it is only a couple of inches thick! Read this project to find out not only how this illusion works, but how to design and build your very own infinity mirror from scratch.
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Elec_p080

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

This project will require some specialty materials from hardware and arts and craft stores. See the Materials list for details.

Cost

Average ($40 - $80)

Safety

Adult supervision is required when using any sharp cutting tools or power tools to cut plexiglass. Always wear safety glasses or goggles when cutting brittle materials such as plexiglass. Some tools (in particular, hot glue guns and soldering irons) can cause serious burns. Use these carefully and with adult supervision.

What do humans need to survive? We need food, water, and warm shelter. We all need a warm place to live, particularly when it's chilly outside. How do many of us warm our houses or apartments? We depend on fossil fuels to supply gas and electricity to our heaters. But burning fossil fuels to create energy is harmful to the environment. What if there was a way to warm our homes without burning fossil fuels and it was free? In this science fair project, you will build a solar air heater and see…
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EnvEng_p028

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Average ($50 - $100)

Safety

You need to cut cardboard for this project and use paint. Always exercise caution when using a sharp knife and scissors. Paint in an area with good ventilation.

Earth is an amazing planet. It has everything that we need: food, shelter, and water. Sure, we need water to drink, but have you thought about using water to create energy? Moving water has a lot of energy and all we need to do is to harness it. Moving water made the Grand Canyon. That took a lot of energy! In this science fair project, you will demonstrate the power of water by converting the kinetic energy in moving water to mechanical energy, which will lift a small weight.
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If you live in an area where earthquakes happen, you might be especially interested in this science project. You will learn how to build your own seismograph and how to use it to detect ground motion.
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Geo_p017

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Time Required

Long (2-4 weeks)

Prerequisites

You will need access to some basic wood shop tools and experience using them for this science project.

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Low ($20 - $50)

Safety

Adult supervision is required when using power tools and taking measurements outdoors near traffic.

Do you love roller coasters and other kinds of exciting rides? Are you a thrill-seeker? Well, this is the science fair project for you! What makes a ride so thrilling that people want to ride it over and over again even though it scares them? Is it the speed, the twists and turns, the vertical drops? In this science fair project, you will build and use an accelerometer to figure out what makes a roller-coaster ride worth standing in line for. Oh, and if Mom and Dad ask what an amusement park…
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ApMech_p041

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Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

Access to an amusement park.

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Average ($50 - $100)

Safety

Make sure that you and your volunteers are healthy enough to ride roller-coaster rides. Always take a break and rest if you start to feel ill. Adult supervision is recommended.

You can find this page online at: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/search.shtml?v=solt&pi=Aero_p036

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